Laurie Lightowlers

Connect What inspired your most recent tattoo?

My most recent is a thigh sized Zebra head with flowers. I just finished my Nurse Practitioner, and had a professor who always told me to “stop looking for zebras, and look for horses” (eg look for normal everyday diseases during check-ups, nothing else). This bothered me, because as a person with autoimmune diseases, the zebra represents us, almost like our spirit animal of being “rare” if you will. Mine would not have been found looking for horses. So It is a practice r

If your ink could speak, what would it say?

My ink is a full reflection of what makes me “me”. My sleeve represents my music, which is what keeps me grounded. It consists of my rare guitar, my old mic, piano, fiddle, and the notes to a song I sang to all my babies when they were small. My zebra, warrior partial sleeve and semi-colon roses speak to my struggles with autoimmune illnesses, the fighter I am with them; as well as supper for my daughter’s struggles Mental Health and my role as a Corrections MH Nurse, a role I

What would you do with the $25,000?

I would like to do something for my family. From the time I was first diagnosed 17 & 14 years ago (PBC & TM) my family picked up the slack with things I was no longer able to do as easily (especially with the TM). They missed out on a lot when I returned to school the first time for my Bachelor degree to become a Prison nurse; and then again when I decided to return again to fulfill my dreams of becoming an NP. Whether that be cooking, cleaning or ensuring I rest when needed, they’